College Football: NIU shares Heisman joy with Jordan Lynch

Tuesday

Dec 10, 2013 at 8:13 PMDec 10, 2013 at 8:16 PM

By Matt TrowbridgeRockford Register Star

DEKALB — Jordan Lynch called his mom.

“What do you know? Her phone is dead.”

He called his dad.

“He doesn’t pick up. No one picks up their phone nowadays,” Lynch said. “There is no reason to even have a cell phone. So I call my house phone and try and give everyone the news and I’m still trying my mom. Still no pickup. She finds out from a family friend. It wasn’t even me that gave her the news.”

Lynch may be better at making the news than relaying the news, but getting invited as one of the six finalists for the Heisman Trophy presentation Saturday in New York is something that will be heard around Northern Illinois for years.

“It puts NIU on the map,” said Lynch, who thanked his teammates for helping get him to this point.

Coach Rod Carey said “we love getting NIU in front of the national media,” but this was Lynch’s moment in the sun.

“This is for him,” Carey said. “I love his attitude about his teammates because that’s right as well, because you can’t do it by yourself. But we’re super proud of him.”

The only Division I coach who recruited Lynch to play quarterback is also proud. Former NIU coach Jerry Kill, now the coach at Minnesota, where the Gophers (8-4) could win nine games for only the second time in 108 years if they win their bowl game, called Lynch Tuesday morning.

“He’s just the best,” Lynch said. “I had to say thanks to him. He gave me my first scholarship offer and he really believed in me.

“He found out last night at about 11 o’clock. I guess he was on the road recruiting. He turned on ESPN and saw it on the bottom of the ticker. He said he sprinted downstairs so fast, I think he called me about 12 times last night while I was sleeping.”

Lynch is second in the nation in rushing with a quarterback-record 1,881 yards. Lynch also has 2,676 passing yards and 46 touchdowns (23 passing, 22 rushing and one receiving).

What he doesn’t have is a third-consecutive conference title and a repeat BCS bowl trip. The No. 24-ranked Huskies (12-1) were upset 47-27 by Bowling Green in the MAC title game Friday.

“I would trade this in a heartbeat for a win,” Lynch said. “I’d take that MAC championship over this whole Heisman thing. It still hurts deep down.”

Jameis Winston, freshman quarterback for No. 1 Florida State, is the overwhelming favorite to win the Heisman on Saturday. But don’t say that to Jordan Lynch.

“I was happy to get the invite, but I’m going there to win,” Lynch said. “I’m not going there to come in last place or second place; I’m going there to win.”